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MALMÖ

Top ten ways to spend a few days in Malmö

There's more to the capital of the Swedish south than falafels and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Our man in Malmö, Patrick Reilly, rounds up ten of the best things to do when in the city.

Published: 9 July 2014 14:19 CEST
Updated: 9 July 2014 16:30 CEST
Top ten ways to spend a few days in Malmö
Photo: Aline Lessner/imagebank.sweden.se

Google Malmö and among the suggested search results are the local university, the airport and the football team. All of which are fine and dandy but hardly the most enticing things to check out for somebody who is just in the city for a few days.

Malmö is located on the southern tip of Sweden and is very close to neighbouring Denmark. As a result it has an identity all of its own and locals like to point just how much better things are down south compared to up in Stockholm.

The weather being just one of them of course. So along with soaking up the sun during the summer what else should one do when checking out all that is good and great in Malmö?

Fear not, as our fully-fledged Malmö convert guides you through some of the best things about the city. 

1.Take a sauna at Kallbadhus


Photo: L.E Daniel Larsson/Flickr

Plenty of cities have a Kallbadhus but none can match the location of the one in Malmö which overlooks the Öresund sound and the iconic bridge to Denmark. Literally translated as the cold bath house, it is more fun than it sounds. Users are encouraged to get naked if they want to (a 'tush mat' is provided for your behind) and enjoy a sauna before jumping into the sea to cool off. 

2. Sample some spettekaka


Photo: The Local

The tall dessert is a southern specialty requiring a careful hand and something super sharp to cut it properly. Spettekaka is also rather sweet and dry, meaning it isn't to everyone's taste, but when in Malmö you have to give it a go. Goes well with a cup of the local Skånerost. Good places to find spettekaka are Martin's Konditori on Södra Förstadsgatan, Mormors Bageri on Spångatan and Bröder & Systrar on Östra Rönneholmsvägen.

3. Folkets Park


Photo: Guillaume Baviere/Flickr

Malmö is known as the city of parks with acres of green space for walking, biking, barbecuing etc. Perhaps the best known is Folkets Park (People's Park) which often plays host to concerts and has a huge playground for children. You'll find a mini zoo with a parrot who can say hej då (goodbye) along with a water fountain in the shape of a giant flower. Revellers can party long into the night by popping into Moriska Paviljongen. 

4. Be a hipster in Lilla Torg


Photo: David Hall/Flickr

Stockholm has Gamla Stan while Malmö has Lilla Torg, a charming little square in the heart of the city centre. Granted, the drinks aren't cheap compared to other parts of town (see Möllan in next slide) but the square is a fine spot to do some people watching and mingle with locals and tourists alike. Be sure to drop into independent record store Folk å Rock and browse the vinyl section before relaxing outside with a beverage. 

5. Lap up multicultural Möllan


Photo: The Local

If Lilla Torg is the tourist hotspot then Möllevångstorget is the bohemian cousin buzzing on the other side of town. There's a vibrant market during the day selling everything from fresh fish to flowers. In the evening the area remains a hotbed of activity with lots of bars serving drinks cheaper than you will find elsewhere. Decent watering holes are Ölkaféet and Restaurang Nyhavn.

6. Get on your bike


Photo: The Local

Malmö, and indeed the rest of the region of Skåne, is as flat as a pancake, which makes it ideal for biking. Plenty of places offer bike rental such as Travelshop Malmö on Carlsgatan. There is much to discover by hopping onto two wheels, like venturing out to Bunkeflostrand to see where the Öresund bridge begins or simply biking throughout the city centre out to western harbour which brings us nicely to…

7. Turning Torso/Western Harbour


Photo: News Oresund/Flickr

No visit to Malmö is complete without the obligatory rubbernecking glance at the Turning Torso. But it's not the only thing worth seeing in the western harbour. Talk a leisurely stroll to see the epic Kockums shipyard, where submarines are built, or simply gaze at the yachts bobbing in the harbour or the penthouse apartments which sell for millions for kronor. 

8. Food, glorious food


Photo: The Local

The aptly named 'Bastard' restaurant on Mäster Johansgatan has long been fêted by critics as serving the best food in town. It is an authentic cuisine experience for all foodies out there. Not too far away is Gränden on Malmborgsgatan, which is only open for a few months every summer, and is set in a stunning outdoors location. On the other side of town is Ariana restaurant on Nobelvägen which is renowned for its Afghan Manti dish. 

9. Hit the library


Photo: Per Egevad/Flickr

Yes, you did read that right. Malmö's city library is an architectural marvel which is the pride of the city after having a makeover in the late 90s. The so-called 'Calendar of Light' allows the sun to shine brilliantly inside the building, where you can enjoy views of the city. Over a million people visit the library each year and there are always events going on to keep you entertained. 

10. Take a ride on a pedal boat


Photo; News Öresund/Flickr

If biking or walking isn't your thing they you can always put your feet up (for a bit) and sample a pedal boat. Explore Malmö's canals and check some of the sights from water level including Malmöhus Castle, where there are several museums. Don't venture too far as you may end up in Denmark. If pedalling is too much effort you can always hop on one of the regular tourist boats (pictured). 

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TRAVEL NEWS

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail operator and the GDL train drivers' union have reached a deal in a wage dispute that has caused months of crippling strikes in the country, the union said.

Published: 26 March 2024 09:55 CET
German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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